Water restrictions and rate hikes may tempt some county residents to eliminate garden areas in an effort to save money and help the environment. But this is not the solution, according to many garden experts.

“Just to rip plants out is reactionary and doesn't work out in the long run,” said David Salman, president of High Country Gardens in Colorado. The respected firm specializes in long-blooming, water-conserving perennial plants for western landscapes. “Devastating home landscapes dramatically lowers the value of your property,” he added. “Plus, fauna like hummingbirds and pollinating insects depend on gardens for food and nectar.”

Instead, he recommends getting rid of water-guzzling plants and replacing them with those that thrive in drier conditions. His firm offers plants native to the arid west and their hybrids, developed for flowering beauty, disease resistance and landscape appeal.

In general, select perennial plants, those that grow and bloom for several years, certain vines and shrubs rather than annuals. Although they offer lots of color, annuals need frequent watering because their roots are shallow. “Perennials are not nearly as thirsty as annuals,” he explained.

Also, Salman encourages gardeners to water less often, but deeper. “Most people overwater anyway,” he said. “Once established, most perennials need deep soaking once a week.”

Another general rule is to choose plants with narrow leaves or silvery foliage. This indicates the plants originated in somewhat arid regions, like the Mediterranean region, and have developed leaves that won't lose much moisture through evaporation. Think sages, lavender, rosemary and yarrow. Compare these with large-leaved plants like elephant ears and dahlias. Woody shrubs are also water-conserving plants.

When selecting replacement plants, you can find many that offer fragrance, flowers and fancy foliage. Kathleen Shawl Parkes fills her Oceanside garden with plants that offer color and visual excitement most of the year, while still conserving water. As a representative of Monrovia Nurseries, one of the nation's largest growers and wholesale sellers of shrubs and perennials, she has a large selection from which to choose. In early spring, a Mexican redbud tree is covered with showy pink flowers. Rockrose (Cistus) is a background shrub with aromatic foliage and dazzling white flowers spring through summer.

“I really like 'Bennet's White' because this rockrose variety, with huge papery-like giant flowers, really pops out, especially at night”, she said. “For color, I absolutely love 'Oo-La-La' bougainvillea because it's not as rangy as many bougainvillea and low growing makes it versatile as a ground cover or in a hanging basket.”

“Teenie Geenie” lantana is a low-growing shrub for landscapes and baskets. Very drought tolerant, it thrives in hot, full sun.

Another of her must-have plants is sage (Salvia). Sages thrive in San Diego County, and gardeners have a large number from which to choose, with height varying from 1 to 4 feet and a wide range of flower colors. Parks likes Monrovia's Heatwave series, consisting of four different varieties, because of their compact growth pattern.

“They grow quickly to their mature size of 2 feet,” Parkes said. “They're excellent for edges of borders, and they bloom for a long time. This series performs well in both coastal locations and inland San Diego. I like to combine them with Oo-La-La bougainvillea.”

Another plant that she grows with bougainvillea is Texas Ranger Cimarron (Leucophyllum zygophyllum 'Cimarron'). “Eggplant purple flowers in summer contrast with silver foliage,” she said. “I like the contrast of silver leaves with bougainvillea. It's dynamite.”

Some great water-thrifty plants are so widely used that there might be a tendency to overlook them during times of drought. Camellias deserve a place in a water-thrifty landscape, especially because they are best in shady spots and offer flowers in late fall and winter. “Once established, camellias thrive on very little water,” she said.

So does flax lily (Dianella), a versatile plant with strappy leaves that thrives in sun or partial shade. In addition to striking foliage, vibrant blue flowers appear in spring.

Although grass may be out of favor right now, some ornamental grasses add more than they take to home landscapes. Water conserving, and very showy with pink flower plumes in profusion, “Regal Mist” muhlenbergia is among Parkes'favorites.

“A mass planting of this pinky muhly grass is really pretty,” she said. “This improved variety has dark pink flower plumes in summer that are gorgeous when backlit.”

Replacing thirsty plants with these and other drought-tolerant choices is one way to save water. Another is to make sure your soil is in good condition.

“Healthy, living soil absorbs water more easily,” said Salman. “It's essential to create living soil by preparing and maintaining soils with ample amounts of quality composts and organic or natural fertilizers. Microbially active soils have much greater ability to absorb and hold water.”

He also cautions against too much fertilizer. “Perennials (and shrubs) are not nearly as hungry as annuals. Too much fertilizer creates thirsty, green growth at the expense of flowers. These plants are much better when grown leaner.”

In fall, when plants are scraggly and need cutting back and shaping, he recommends adding good quality organic fertilizer and mulch. Spread and scratch into the soil and then mulch again. As this material breaks down, microorganisms in the soil make their nutrients available to the plants.